Heroes
by Tazz Dieudonne
Summary: "The men holding Steve down had to keep a firm grip as he fought harder, for the first time Coulson saw fear in his eyes. "My life for his, that is my offer."" A one-shot written in snippets. Starts with the action and retraces the steps of their relationship. Warning: Captain/Coulson and sadness


Heroes

**2012, April 23 12:00 pm**

"I'll take his place." Coulson knew what he had to do. He stepped forward. His hero turned and looked at him, eyes wide. "Let him go and you can have me."

"And what's to stop us if we just took both of ye huh?" Their captor retorted.

"One of us needs to come back or they will be suspicious." It was simple logic. Coulson's voice was strong and commanding, setting out the facts. "But you need a body, so one of us has to die." Maybe his voice cracked a little at the last word. No, he needed to put on a brave face for the Captain's sake. For his hero. The men holding Steve down had to keep a firm grip as he fought harder, for the first time Coulson saw fear in his eyes.

"My life for his, that is my offer."

**2012, April 23 11:30 pm (during the battle)**

"Me and Coulson will take the west wing. Tony and Hulk, brake through the barricade and get the civilians out! Natasha and Clint I need you up h**igh** to make sure no one gets out! Let's move" Steve took off running and Coulson jogged after his hero. They ran in silence. Coulson was just content to fight beside the greatest man he had ever known. The man he loved.

**2012, April 23 10:00 pm (before the battle)**

Captain America entered the back of the helicopter and found Coulson there preparing his weapons. The agent turned fast at the sound of someone approaching. "Captain?"

"I've told you to call me Steve. After last night I would think you would finally be comfortable calling me by my name." Coulson blushed. After last night he could die happy because last night the impossible had happened.

"Steve." He let the name roll off his tongue, softly relishing the sound of it.

"Yes Phil?" Coulson would forever remember the way this man said his name, so gentle and kind. He made the plain sounding name special.

"I just wanted to say...um...thank you." Coulson looked down at his shoes not sure what to say. How to express the feelings he felt for the man. Steve smiled and walked over. He lifted the agent's chin. Coulson looked in to the dazzling blue eyes still not believing the events of last night. Captain America, His hero. Kissed him. The man's strong arms pulled Coulson to his chest. Not just his hero, his lover.

**2012, April 23 7:00 am (that morning)**

Coulson opened his eyes. The sun was bright, unusual considering Coulson normally woke up before the sun. Why was he in bed so late? Then the memories of last night rushed in to his head. "You're up." Coulson heard the voice that he knew so well. This was too much to believe, he hid under the sheets shyly. "It's okay." Steve said. Coulson poked his head out, those same words had been whispered in his ear last night, and he still trembled at the memory.

Steve was sitting cross legged on the floor holding a drawing pad. He hadn't looked up yet. The morning light fell on the hero illuminating him perfectly. This man had been his hero, the man he looked up to most. Now Coulson was his friend. A smile crept across his lips, well after what had happened perhaps they were more. Then he blushed.

The Captain looked up surprised to see Coulson out from hiding. "I'm sorry...I just...you looked so nice sleeping...I couldn't help but draw..."

"It's okay." Coulson smiled. "I don't mind." The Captain blushed, and looked back at his paper.

"Thank you." He whispered after a moment.

"Anything for you."

**2012, April 22 9:00 pm (last night)**

Coulson gasped as his hero pressed him in to the bed. Steve grinned and pressed close to Coulson showing the man his need. This couldn't be happening! Coulson hadn't even dared to dream of such things! He had hoped to become the Captains' friend but this was so much more!

Then the Captain's lips were on his. Coulson was too shocked to respond. It felt so good! If it was a dream Coulson never wanted to wake up. He knew he loved this man, if he hadn't known before he knew it now.

Coulson's hands lay limp at his sides. He didn't know what to do! A new confusion took over him. He had no idea how to go about this at all!

"It's okay." The Captain whispered in his ear, sensing Coulson's hesitation. "If this is to fast...it's okay..."

"No." Coulson whispered. "It's fine...actually it's more than fine...it's amazing."

The Captain kissed him again, this time he ran his hands under Coulson's jacket. Slowly he began to undo the buttons to Coulson's shirt. The agent moaned in to the kiss. He didn't care about any of the usual worries, like how they were two guys and the captain had 40 some years on him. He could care less that they were in SHIELD headquarters as long as he was with the man he loved.

One look at the Captain, smoldering with desire, was all that it took to move Coulson's hands from their resting place. Maybe he didn't know what to do, but he was going to try his best to satisfy his hero. Slowly and tentatively he pulled the Captain's shirt off, running his hands over the rippling muscles. The man above him pressed closer, urging Coulson on. Yes he loved this man. Now and forever.

**2012, April 17 5:00 pm (a few days earlier)**

Coulson smiled. A true smile hadn't crossed his lips for so long it felt good. Captain America had signed his card! Coulson's heart filled with joy at the graceful signature. In the aftermath of the battle of Loki he and the Captain had become a little closer. Just a little. They had had their first real conversation! In which Coulson managed not to sound like some over crazed fangirl, a major accomplishment after their first meeting. All they had done was talk over morning coffee, Baseball was the subject.

His heart had skipped a beat when the man had approached him. Then the soldier had asked Coulson to 'inform him about the latest sports news' Coulson had practically fainted. It was his dream come true! And maybe just maybe they would talk again some time, he knew the Captain was needed elsewhere and he felt selfish for taking the man's time. But maybe just maybe his hero would consider making a small amount of time to speak to Coulson.

The agent sat at the cafe that they had talked at, in the same seat he had sat at the same table. It was their place now. He used to go here every day just because it was on the way to SHIELD headquarters. Now he actually sat down instead of ordering his coffee to go. Now there was something special about the place, the place where he had shared a few minutes with his hero. A memory he would never forget.

**2013, April 23 12:00 pm (one year later)**

A lone figure approached the grave. Steve Rogers knelt in front of the modest head stone that marked Coulson's final resting place. He sat heavily on the packed earth. Mist covered the full moon and shrouded the hero in darkness. He hadn't visited this place **since** the funeral. Steve couldn't bring himself to look at the cold stone that was all that was left of Coulson. A tear rolled down his cheeks as he began to speak, words he finally had the courage to say.

"It's been a long time, a whole year in fact. I...they told me to try and forget you. That's why I haven't been here for a while. I'm sorry. I needed time to..." The place was silent as Steve stopped, not knowing what he was saying. "Who am I kidding I could never get over you. I guess that's why I'm here now. I wanted you to know that...I never got to tell you...how much I love you.

"There's so much I never got to say...I never thought you would be gone so fast... My only regret is that I didn't tell you sooner, how I felt I mean...You know the cafe that I signed your cards at? I stopped by there one day and I couldn't help but feel like some part of you was there. I started to go there regularly and one day the serving lady got up the courage to talk to me. She told me..." Steve gulped tears welling up at the memory.

"She said there was a man. He came here and ordered the same coffee to go every day for six years. But one time he brought another man here. They had sat and talked, totally at peace with each other. Ever since then he came here every day and sat at the same table every time, in the seat across from me. He always ordered the same thing I ordered, black coffee. She said he seemed so much happier than before. I knew she was talking about you, I knew that that place was special to you. I go there every morning now." The tears coursed down his cheeks and his voice cracked.

"I never got to tell you how much you meant to me. When you stepped forward and took my place I didn't know what I could do to stop you. I saw then that you loved me as much as I loved you...I tried to stop them!" He balled his fists up, sobbing now. "I fought as best as I could but for once it wasn't enough!" Steve buried his head in his hands, memories of Coulson bravely stepping to meet his death...

**2012, April 23 12:02 (the last stand of agent Coulson)**

"No!" Steve kicked, punched, hit! He struggled harder than he had ever struggled in his entire life. "Don't! NO! COULSON!" The agent turned at the sound of the pain in his lover's voice.

"It's okay Steve." He whispered as a man held a gun to his head. Coulson smiled. "You've been my hero for so long now let me save you." Steve watched horrified. He fought harder and harder, trying to ketch glimpses of his lover, thinking it may be the last.

The gun shot resounded throughout the chamber. "NOOOO!" Steve's scream was lost in the commotion. He watched, as if in slow motion, as Coulson fell. Slowly, bravery written all over his face. His body hit the floor with a sickening thud. Steve struggled and struggled to no avail as his vision went blurry from the tears and the blows to his head. Coulson turned to see his hero one last time...

**2013, April 23 12:15**

_"I love you." _The whispered last words of Phil Coulson came back to Steve.

He placed a hand on the cold stone.

"You're my hero" He whispered to the darkness.


End file.
